The Full Titanium URWERK UR-100V Magic T

If you look at the collection of watches offered by independent watchmaker URWERK, there are certainly some bold and visually striking watches. Colourful accents, sci-fi-inspired cases, and displays unique to the watchmaking world. But the brand has also demonstrated more than once – specifically with its UR-100 collection – its ability to play on the monochromatic and neutral tones of raw materials. This watch has already been offered in several tone-on-tone editions, either carbon, black titanium or raw titanium. The new edition, dubbed UR-100V Magic T, feels familiar at first sight, but it’s a fresh take on the grey tones of titanium. 

This new edition is all about exploring cold colours, monochromatic tones and the reflections and chromatic subtleties of the material itself. When I first saw this new model, I immediately thought it was an encore of the full-titanium UR-100V, a watch with a case and bracelet made in this lightweight grey material with a tone-on-tone display. The new Magic T is deceptively different. And it’s all about nuances and small touches. As Felix Baumgartner, master watchmaker and co-founder of URWERK, points out, “we have loved and admired raw titanium (note: he’s talking about this edition), and now we have it gleaming in full brilliance, thanks to light, refined shot-blasting. All the beauty of the metal is there“.

So the main novelty within the UR-100V Magic T regards the finishing of the case and how it plays with the ambient light. Contrary to the first full-titanium edition of 2021, this new take on the lightweight metal is not about raw finishing but refined touches. The case is finely blasted, offering a delicate texture, a brighter colour and far more brilliance and reflections. The 41mm x 49.7mm case, not exaggeratedly large according to the brand’s standards, as well as the entire bracelet and the crown, are executed in this newly finished, brighter titanium. Monochromatic, muted, but not flat, this new edition feels like a classic for the brand.

New also for this URWERK UR-100V Magic T is the work performed on the elements of the dial. These have been reworked slightly to bring better contrast, more complexity and improved legibility. The original full-titanium model was so muted and monochromatic that it was difficult to consult t the time. This new edition has more textures and contrasts, so reading the time, thanks to the all-time classic wandering hours and satellites moving along a graduated arc of a circle, becomes easier.

As for the rest, and mechanically speaking, the UR-100V Magic T remains the same horological UFO as in other editions. And it’s not only because of its unique display but also due to two extended recessed areas on the sides of its satellite carrier indicating the distance travelled on Earth (at 10 o’clock) and distance travelled by Earth (at 2 o’clock), both explained more precisely in this article. The back of the watch reveals the same calibre 12.02 as other models, an automatic base movement with 4Hz frequency and 48h power reserve, bringing power to the in-house satellite module. The back also reveals the full rotor governed by a profiled airscrew known as the Windfänger, a device that minimises shocks and reduces wear and tear.

The URWERK UR-100V Magic T is released as a limited edition (even though the brand doesn’t communicate the number of pieces) that will be priced at CHF 58,000 (excl. taxes). More details at www.urwerk.com.